[Kpalsm]

He's probably right. I always cringe a little when someone talks about amplifying an already amplified signal too...

 

[Scott_Tarlow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kpalsm /img/forum/go_quote.gif He's probably right. I always cringe a little when someone talks about amplifying an already amplified signal too...

Its not just that, but if you have heard a high end amp before, you start to realize that the FiiO is maybe a little better than the one in your DAP, with a little more power.

I use the headphone out of my zune to connect my pico all the time. The difference is that the Pico amp has some dynamics that the zune internal amp does not have.

Maybe I just still don't understand the appeal of the E5, when I bought mine, it sounded ok with anemic IEM's, but that is about it.

I totally understand the point of the E1 though, it makes enough sense.I think they would sell a lot more of them if they could get them in places like best buy and such, and if they made it a headphone splitter.

I think the E7 also makes sense, but the e9 will be a harder sell IMO. It will have to sound as good as the Little Dot series to be worth it.

FiiO has really capitalized on the mob though. Kudos to them.

 

[Surfaced]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott_Tarlow /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am pretty sure the E5 will make the sound from your sound card worse, since you have such a high end sound card.

Yeah I was afraid of this. Then I'll save the little guy for portable use only.

The E9 setup is fine though, right? I think the STX's amplifier is only for the 1/4 TRS.

And there are other things I'm considering, like the Little Dot amps and HeadRoom's cheaper amps (any good?). I can't spend more than $120 on whatever I end up with. I'll have to wait for the review/comparisons to figure it out. I realize that I spent too much on the Essence STX so now everything else is more limited. Definitely can't spend more than $80 on RCA interconnects.

 

[Kpalsm]

I used an E5 for a little bit, it actually failed pretty quick on me, maybe got two months out of it. It didn't really add much to the DAP I was using then, which was a Sansa E250 with Rockbox on it. The bass boost was handy and the extra power was nice but that was pretty well it.

Once Justin starts shipping his Pico Slim I'll be getting my first taste of a "high end amp", if that qualifies (at least in your book), aside from maybe the amps inside my AVR254. The one thing it does do is power speakers/headphones well, just...not anything else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surfaced /img/forum/go_quote.gif I realize that I spent too much on the Essence STX so now everything else is more limited. Definitely can't spend more than $80 on RCA interconnects.

IMHO you don't have to. I buy from Monoprice, or eBay, or Headroom. Got my Cardas 6" mini to mini from eBay for about $20, it's pretty good I think, but I haven't had much to compare with aside from the stock E5 interconnect (which I did notice a difference between). I don't buy that spending more than maybe $50 or so on the most expensive of cables is necessarily, especially if it's going to be anything less than, say, six feet. In short runs like 6", it really doesn't matter too much if it's a $300 ALO Cryo or something like that or a coat-hanger. IMO anyway! I haven't heard the difference, I just can't see there being much of one...

 

[bcpk]

Oh man, I got all excited reading the introductory thread to the Pico Slim ... and then got hit by the price. $350? For real? You mean more than my source and earphones put together?

To be fair to FiiO, they're aiming for a completely different sector of the market; an introductory step, like ClieOS said. It's not really fair to bring the Pico Slim into this with that kind of price tag.

 

[Kpalsm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcpk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh man, I got all excited reading the introductory thread to the Pico Slim ... and then got hit by the price. $350? For real? You mean more than my source and earphones put together?

Not more than mine...a tiny bit more than my portable 'phones.

Quote:

To be fair to FiiO, they're aiming for a completely different sector of the market; an introductory step, like ClieOS said. It's not really fair to bring the Pico Slim into this with that kind of price tag.

I realize that too, it wasn't really meant as a recommendation, it was more just conversation with Scott_Tarlow. Though, if you've got the money...

Don't worry, I've said the same words I've bolded, in this very thread, one page back. I was talking about the original Pico though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kpalsm /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... you can't compare an $80 device to a $300+ device, they're not meant to do the same thing, nor are they meant for the same customer base. ...

 

[Scott_Tarlow]

I was just pointing out that I feel the E5 is a waste of money, because it really adds nothing to the device, where as the E1 does add to the device.

For example, If I had to chose between 120 dollar headphones + 20 dollar LOD+ 20 dollar amp, or 160 dollar headphones for my iPod, there is no question that the 160 dollar headphones are a better value IMO. The difference is between having an IEM like the Monster Turbine or an IEM like the UE700.

The E1 takes care of that, because it is only 20 dollars for the whole thing + a remote, which will be very useful doing sports. If I had a nano, I would use the E1 for sports in a second.

And of course, all headamp products are high end IMO.

 

[xuan87]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baines93 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm sure there is. Just gotta figure out how to open it. I'll let you know when mine FINALLY arrives from DX after sitting in HK for 2 weeks doing nothing. Damn it! Get the case open... there must be a way. Then all you gotta do is desolder the wires that come from the LOD to the board, and after making note of what goes where, shorten the cable as much as you like, strip the wires back, and solder them back on. Don't keep the iron on there too long though, don't want to over heat anything on the board. Matt

i for one, hope that some diyer here will be able to do this, AND also change the cable to a better one. i'm sure there will be further improvement in the sound!

 

[bcpk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott_Tarlow /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was just pointing out that I feel the E5 is a waste of money, because it really adds nothing to the device, where as the E1 does add to the device. For example, If I had to chose between 120 dollar headphones + 20 dollar LOD+ 20 dollar amp, or 160 dollar headphones for my iPod, there is no question that the 160 dollar headphones are a better value IMO. The difference is between having an IEM like the Monster Turbine or an IEM like the UE700..

It seems like a couple of others don't share your view...

Not to mention that I suspect $80 RE0s + $20 E5 would give the $160+ UE700s some stiff competition

 

[Scott_Tarlow]

That is fine that they don't share my opinion, maybe my ears aren't sensitive enough to hear what the FiiO E5 brings to the table. All I heard was a little bass for a little muddy overall sound. If thats what you like, hey more power to you.

I have not heard the RE0's, but the UE700's sound super good. They aren't that popular here because they were originally priced over 200 USD, but now they are less than 150 USD. From what I have heard of the RE0's, they are a little anemic. This is not the case with the UE700's. Its for those who like full sounding earphones, with a little less detail.

 

[ClieOS]

Some people believe a $13K Ducati is well worth the price, but some could only justify a $130 bicycle for their short daily commute. Sure Ducati makes great bike, but it is not to say a bicycle that requires on your own pedaling power is complete waste of money.

Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Scott_Tarlow]

Not when the Amp in their DAP is just as good.

 

[unl3a5h3d]

How much is the E7 going to be? And can it be used as a stand alone DAC? Thanks.

 

[bcpk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unl3a5h3d /img/forum/go_quote.gif How much is the E7 going to be? And can it be used as a stand alone DAC? Thanks.

circa 80 USD. Yes, it can be used as a DAC via USB, and an Amp by line-in.

 

[bcpk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott_Tarlow /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not when the Amp in their DAP is just as good.

Well certainly I don't think the E5 is marketed at your Zune HD, which doesn't have Line-Out.